RGIT Australia, Hobart Campus students participated in an excursion to Mures seafood processing and wholesale outlet in Hobart on Wednesday, 23 May 2018. The excursion provided students with the opportunity to gain valuable, behind the scenes industry insight at the iconic Mures outlet while also fulfilling the requirements of SIT30816 Commercial Cookery III, SITHCCC013 Prepare Seafood Dishes and SITXFSA004 Develop and Implement a Food Safety Program.

An interactive presentation by Operations Managers, David and Heath, gave students a comprehensive understanding of the business, its food safety programs and HACCP requirements, the varieties of seafood they catch and supply to the industry according to the seasons, as well as the overall process from the ocean to customer. Following a brief question and answer session, students were excited to put on the hair nets and view the entire plant from the viewing window before heading down to what would be a very engaging tour.

The team at the plant were keen to show off their skills and knowledge in demonstrations, with one team member skillfully demonstrating the tricks of the trade in fish filleting, while another gave a detailed viewing on how to pin bone a salmon fillet. Staff and students got a tour of the infrared sterilisation cleaning station, and were told how knives are to be cleaned given the potential for bacteria to grow between the blade and handle.

Next, it was over to the crayfish tank where David provided information on how they are caught and then properly stored. The tour also included a tour of to the blast freezer and oyster processing, where the shucker, Lione, gave a demonstration on how to shuck and process oysters. Staff and students were even lucky enough to all be given the chance to test a few of the freshly shucked oysters.

As the tour progressed, David showed the different log recording sheets that need to be filled out for temperatures, maintenance, hygiene, store received and outgoing log, time logs, calibration and cleaning. This was great for the students to see how Mures Food Safety Plan (FSP) is implemented in the work environment along with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards.

The next part of the tour was the kitchen where staff and students were shown some of the products the plant makes and distributes Australia-wide. Products included salmon gravlax, Australian pepper berry salmon, terrines, roulades, dips, sauces and pates. They were also shown how the products are processed, packaged and stored. They were also shown different industrial food processing equipment and demonstrations of the robo coupe, the salmon slicer, the vac packer and the sauce portioner. Staff and students were delighted to have a few tastings of the delicious roulade and terrine.

The next part of the tour consisted of going to the area that cooks shellfish and makes their prize-winning stocks. The last part of the tour was to the store's receiving area and the ice shaving machine. David and Heath explained how inward goods are received and stored using cardboard packaging and recyclable materials.

Following a debrief back in the boardroom, staff and students thanked staff for their knowledge and time showing them the very professional business they run. The excursion provided tremendous insight for students into the happenings of a highly professional seafood processing business, its operations, seafood processing and maintenance of its Food Safety Plan (FSP) to the requirements of HACCP. Students obtained a great amount of knowledge that will not only enhance their chosen profession and career, but it served as an enjoyable excursion for all.